In 1980, Yunnan Arts University regained its independence from Kunming Normal College, becoming an autonomous higher education institution.

Yunnan Arts University (YAU) operates two campuses, Chenggong and Mayuan, with a combined area of over 930 mu (approximately 62.03 hectares).

The total area of teaching and administrative facilities amounts to 258,900 square meters.

The university library holds 1.0206 million printed books and 508,500 electronic journals.

[4] In terms of research, YAU currently undertakes three major projects funded by the National Social Science Foundation of China and has been awarded 12 projects under the National Social Science Foundation for Arts, ranking second nationwide among higher education institutions.